# US 2014/0197654 A1 · Powered roll-in cots

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- Number: US 2014/0197654 A1
- Document ID: US20140197654A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/245,107
- Filed: 2014-04-04
- Published: 2014-07-17
- Earliest claimed: 2010-01-13
- Assignees: Ferno-Washington, Inc.
- Inventors: Nicholas V. Valentino; Matthew Palastro; Zhen Y. Shen; Timothy R. Wells; Timothy Paul Schroeder; Joshua James Markham; Robert L. Potak
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197654A1

## CPC

- A61G 1/0262: {having loading wheels situated in the front during loading}
- A61G 1/013: foldable or collapsible (A61G1/017 takes precedence)
- A61G 1/0212: {2 pairs having wheels within a pair on the same position in longitudinal direction, e.g. on the same axis}
- A61G 1/0237: {having at least one swivelling wheel, e.g. castors}
- A61G 1/0268: {having deployable or retractable wheels}
- A61G 1/048: Handles
- G05D 3/12: using feedback
- A61G 3/0875: {Securing stretchers, e.g. fastening means}
- A61G 2200/16: bariatric, e.g. heavy or obese
- A61G 2203/32: for force
- A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00)
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES

## Abstract

According to one embodiment, a roll-in cot may include a support frame, a pair of back legs, a pair of front legs, and a cot actuation system. The pair of back legs and the pair of front legs can be slidingly coupled to the support frame. Each of the pair of front legs can include a front wheel and an intermediate load wheel. The intermediate load wheel is offset from the front wheel by a load wheel distance. A front actuator can raise the pair of front legs such that the front wheel and the intermediate load wheel of each of the pair of front legs are aligned along a loading level. The intermediate load wheel of each of the pair of front legs can be offset from the pair of back legs by a loading span. The load wheel distance can be greater than the loading span.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A roll-in cot comprising:
a support frame comprising a front end, and a back end;
a back carriage member slidingly engaged with the support frame;
a pair of back legs rotatably coupled to the back carriage member, wherein each of the pair of back legs comprises a wheel linkage and a back wheel coupled to the wheel linkage, and wherein each of the pair of back legs defines a back leg span that extends from the back carriage member through the wheel linkage;
a pair of front legs slidingly coupled to the support frame, wherein each of the pair of front legs comprises a front wheel and an intermediate load wheel having an axis of rotation, and wherein an intermediate span is demarcated by the axis of rotation of the intermediate load wheel and the back carriage member; and
a cot actuation system comprising a front actuator that moves the pair of front legs and a back actuator that moves the pair of back legs, wherein:
the front actuator retracts the pair of front legs such that the intermediate load wheel is supported by a loading surface;
the back actuator retracts the pair of back legs such that the back wheel is supported by a lower surface;
the lower surface is lower than the loading surface;
a back leg angle θ is formed between the back leg span and the intermediate span; and
the back leg angle θ is an acute angle.

### Claim 2

A roll-in cot comprising:
a support frame comprising a front end, and a back end;
a pair of back legs slidingly coupled to the support frame;
a pair of front legs slidingly coupled to the support frame, wherein each of the pair of front legs comprises a front wheel and an intermediate load wheel, and wherein the intermediate load wheel is offset from the front wheel by a load wheel distance; and
a cot actuation system comprising a front actuator that moves the pair of front legs and a back actuator that moves the pair of back legs, wherein:
the front actuator retracts the pair of front legs such that the front wheel and the intermediate load wheel are aligned along a loading level;
the intermediate load wheel of each of the pair of front legs is offset, along the loading level, from the pair of back legs by a loading span; and
the load wheel distance is greater than the loading span.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The roll-in cot of claim 2, further comprising:
a back carriage member slidingly engaged with the support frame and rotatably coupled to the pair of back legs, wherein each of the pair of back legs comprises a wheel linkage and a back wheel coupled to the wheel linkage, and wherein each of the pair of back legs defines a back leg span that extends from the back carriage member through the wheel linkage, and wherein a loading angle α is formed by the back leg span and the loading level such that the loading angle α is an acute angle.

### Claim 4

A method for actuating a roll-in cot wherein the roll-in cot comprises a support frame, a pair of legs slidingly and pivotally engaged with the support frame, and an actuator coupled to the pair of legs, and wherein the actuator is operable actuate the pair of legs such that the pair of legs slide and rotate with respect to the support frame, the method comprising:
receiving from an actuator sensor, automatically with a processor, a load signal indicative of a force acting upon or exerted by the actuator;
receiving a control signal indicative of a command to change a height of the roll-in cot;
causing the actuator to actuate the pair of legs relatively slowly;
determining, automatically with the processor, that the actuator is unloaded based upon the load signal; and
causing, automatically with the processor, the actuator to actuate the pair of legs at a higher rate, wherein the pair of legs is actuated at the higher rate after the actuator is determined to be unloaded.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the actuator sensor comprises a proximity sensor, a strain gauge, a load cell, or a hall-effect sensor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the force is indicative of the actuator being under tension or compression.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, the actuator sensor is coupled to the support frame.

### Claim 8

A roll-in cot comprising:
a support frame comprising a front end, and a back end;
a pair of front legs slidingly coupled to the support frame;
a pair of back legs slidingly coupled to the support frame, each of the pair of back legs comprising a sinuous internal edge that faces the front end of the support frame, wherein the sinuous internal edge forms an upper angle β, and wherein the upper angle β is an obtuse angle;
a pair of back hinge members, wherein each of the pair of back hinge members are pivotingly coupled to the support frame at a first end and pivotingly coupled to one of the pair of back legs at a second end, and wherein the upper angle β of the sinuous internal edge is located above the second end of one of the pair of back hinge members; and
a cot actuation system comprising a front actuator that moves the pair of front legs and a back actuator that moves the pair of back legs.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The roll-in cot of claim 8, wherein the sinuous internal edge forms a lower angle φ, and wherein the lower angle φ is a reflex angle, and wherein the upper angle β is located above the lower angle φ.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The roll-in cot of claim 9, wherein the lower angle φ of the sinuous internal edge is located below the second end of one of the pair of back hinge members.